Buffalo, NY (WBEN) New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the guilty pleas and sentencings of members of a drug trafficking operation that sold fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine throughout Western New York. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) recovered nearly one kilogram of cocaine worth $30,000, more than one-half pound of methamphetamine worth $1,500, over one ounce of fentanyl worth $1,600, and approximately $4,000 in cash. All seven defendants and have since pleaded guilty. As a result of their pleas, the defendants have admitted to their roles in the trafficking operation and have been sentenced. The central figures of the trafficking operation will serve up to 10 years in state prison.
“Drug traffickers who flood our communities with deadly fentanyl and opioids threaten the safety of all New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “I thank my partners in law enforcement for their commitment to safeguarding our streets and protecting New Yorkers from dangerous illegal drugs. My office will continue fighting to dismantle drug trafficking rings that spread violence and addiction.”
“These convictions and sentences send an unmistakable message: those who profit from poisoning our communities will be identified, pursued, and held accountable,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “These drug traffickers turned communities across Western New York into marketplaces for fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, putting lives at risk with every sale. These individuals operated under the false belief that coded language and secret transactions would shield them from law enforcement. They were wrong. The DEA remains relentless in its mission to dismantle drug trafficking networks, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with Attorney General James, the Organized Crime Task Force, and our law enforcement partners to ensure these criminals face justice.”…